Welcome to Mountain Breeze Devotions

Mountain Breeze Devotions began in May of 2003. This ministry is an email ministry sending devotionals and meditations seven days a week by request.It is the sister site of www.ChristianDevotions.US

This is the ministry of authors Cindy Sproles and Eddie Jones. Two friends brought together to serve the Father -- to spread the word to those who may not know and to promote the art and writers of Christian writing.

Thomas lived in a small group home on the south side of town. He had AIDS, renal failure, high blood pressure, and, the night I met him, an overall sick feeling he couldn’t explain. “I’m due for dialysis tomorrow,” he said. “But tonight…I just don’t feel right.” He didn’t look right either. He was only 47 but he looked old and tired as if he’d spent a lifetime on the run, fighting, and struggling just to stay alive.

After performing a quick assessment I checked his blood pressure and hooked up the cardiac monitor for a look at his heart. His vitals were a little off, but overall he checked out fine. I glanced at his face and suddenly got the feeling that this was more than just a sick call. He needed to talk to someone. And I was okay with that. “Tell you what,” I said. “Let’s take a ride.”

He smiled, much obliged, and rose to his feet.

It was a routine transport. I stuck an 18-gauge IV catheter in his arm, took another look at his EKG, and then leaned back and looked at him as we rode down the highway.

“So, Thomas,” I said. “Where are you from?”

“Right here.”

“Yeah? Then you remember this place before it became a ghetto.”

He nodded.

“Look,” I said, “forgive me for prying, but, well, I was just wondering…were you ever in a gang?”

A stern expression tightened his face. “Let’s put it this way,” he said. “I learned to shoot a gun when I was five years old. Started taking drugs when I was twelve. I did heroin for more than twenty years on the street and then every day in prison for seven more. It won’t my mother that taught me all that.”

I gazed at him without speaking. I felt he deserved that. He had something important to say. He continued.....“The alcohol and drugs ruined me. My kidneys are shot now. I don’t blame nobody else, though. I made the mistakes, and I’ll live with ‘em. But these gangs you asked about?” He paused and shook his head. “They’re bad, man. These kids today will shoot anybody. They steal and rob for drugs. They kill. And those girls? They only keep ‘em round for one reason—makin’ babies. To the gangs that’s all they’re good for. My daughter’s there now, you know."He glanced at me as if searching for an answer. “She stays coked up and pregnant most the time.”

“Can’t you talk to her?” I asked. “Try to help her?”

“No, you don’t understand. Can’t never talk to her no more. Afraid of her. I know it’s my fault, she’s my child, but she won’t created for no good.”

I felt a strange paradox as I walked away from the ER: pleased to know that Thomas is a Christian today—he gave his life to Christ somewhere along the way—but saddened by what I had just witnessed. Harsh reality. Not just words from some magazine article about gangs and troubled youth, but real flesh and blood, a grown man who had survived the streets only to live and suffer the consequences of his mistakes.

Today Thomas lives in the corner of a dusty room. He has few friends, some serious health issues, and a daughter he can no longer see. So I wonder, does he question his purpose in life? I can’t answer that, but I do know this—Thomas and I encouraged one another last Wednesday night, and that was no mistake. It was God’s handiwork. And in that brief meeting, I find true purpose.

~~~

Do you struggle with your purpose in life? If so, consider poor Thomas. And remember, you are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.

Pat Patterson is a novelist, a paramedic, and an instructor of Emergency Medical Science. His stories are true, based on real experiences from the streets of Durham, North Carolina where he has served as a paramedic since 1992.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.”Psalm 23: 1-2

- Listen to Smacked Down! - by Eddie Jones

Sometimes it takes total terror to make us lie down in green pastures.

In his book, A Soldier’s Faith, author John Loving tells of his first days in Vietnam and how on a recon mission a U.S. patrol boat mistakenly fired upon his unit. He dropped to the ground, burrowed into the soft mud of a rice paddy and prayed for God’s protection. Sometimes the safest place to be is in on your belly, arms outstretched, in total dependence on God.

I recently spent a night of terror in an Atlanta airport. I’d arrived a little after nine on a Sunday evening. I was traveling alone, had missed my connection and didn’t have a cell. The pay phone refused to accept my phone card. I had fifty-five dollars in my pocket. All I wanted to do was find a quiet place to lie down. Hartsfield wasn’t Vietnam but it felt foreign to me.

Near the cab stand I found a phone bank for area hotels, called one and was told they were full. The man suggested I call back in ten minutes, that a room might come available. I wasn’t sure about a hotel whose vacancy status changed on the hour but as long as the other guests didn’t shoot through the walls or yell too loudly I’d take it.

When I arrived the hotel restaurant was closing. I’d had one Pop Tart all day. Across the street was a KFC, so I took my chicken tenders back to the room, fell on my knees and thanked God for a bed.

Then I wept.

At two A.M. I awoke with this verse in my head. “He makes me lie down in green pastures.”

He makes me.

Nothing about my trip had gone right but God was in the moment. I learned later that had I arrived in Managua, Nicaragua that evening, as planned, I would have missed the chicken bus out of town and been forced to sleep in a place much worse than a Comfort Inn. God had knocked me down that I might rise, again.

I’ve noticed He does that — smack us down so that we’re forced to rest and depend on Him. Only then can we realize His all-loving sufficiency.

Has God knocked you down? Has a financial setback, sudden health issue or family situation forced your face to the ground? Don’t resist. Rest, study His word and pray It just may be that God is preparing you for a long march toward a greater ministry for His kingdom.

He Makes Me By Cindy Sproles

- Listen to He Makes Me - Cindy Sproles

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, and he leads me beside quiet waters,”Psalm 23:1-2

My Heart calls me to you again. My soul cries from lack of understanding. My ears hear only the breeze that blows in the trees above me and my eyes, see only the sun’s reflections off the water. And I wonder what did David mean when he said “I shall not be in want.”

I want for a lot. I have need for much, yet I find little. And still I wonder what David meant by, “I shall not be in want.”

When I stand on the side lines pleading for the needs of others and there is silence. When I ask every way I know how, yet the Shepherd does not answer, I wonder what David meant. I wonder what more I must do, what more I must say, how much louder I must shout before the Shepherd hears.

He makes me lie down…..there’s nothing worse than being forced to lie down. I need to be sitting or standing. I need to see what is coming my way. Yet, the Shepherd makes me lie down. There’s no option—no choice.

So here I lie—face down, belly on the floor, still in want. Still in need. Where is the comfort in The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures?

Why is it we must be forced into complete turmoil and shoved to our stomachs before we are allowed to see where the Shepherd is leading us? Perhaps we are far too self-sufficient. Perhaps we stop relying on God—and perhaps, we do it unwittingly.

I can’t answer. It’s my thought David couldn’t either and maybe this is why he penned the lament in the Twenty-third Psalm. For such words of peace, such words of faith and belief to have been written from his heart, he must have been in a season where he suffered.

There are seasons in our lives when God forces us to lie down. When He takes us to our stomachs kicking and screaming, just as the shepherd pressed the hook of his staff against the neck of stubborn sheep, He holds us in that position of submission until our heart surrenders. Often we can’t see why. Many times we think we’re in that submissive spot when really, our eyes and hearts fool us.

David was right. The Lord is my shepherd and even when I think I am wanting, He knows exactly what I need and when I need it. He makes me lie down in green pastures beside quiet waters because I need to be quiet. I need to listen. I need to surrender. Only then, can He work in my life and fill my needs.

Are there times when you wonder if God has abandoned you? Times when your heart aches to the point of bursting?

Remain faithful even when you do not understand. The shepherd cares for his sheep.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles author the He Said, She Said devotions and are co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"John 8:3-5

Could it be that the greatest mercy bestowed on the adulteress that day was not the fact that she walked away without being stoned but that she was caught? Would she have ever found herself before Christ with a repentant heart otherwise? What severe mercy to be found out, to be known as a sinner and called forth into the light. It is so easy to welcome the forgiveness and the redemption that Jesus offers. But when was the last time we fell to our knees and thanked God that He did not allow our sin to remain hidden?

We church goers are often like the Pharisees. We want justice. We want the law. But when they asked Jesus what He thought should be done, the answer proved to be yet another layer of mercy:

“If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her..... At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there."

How often do we show such mercy to those in our churches and those in our lives when they stand before us so exposed? Do we abandon them like the Pharisees did, leaving our wounded to suffer alone? Or do we offer words of restoration like Christ:

“Has no one condemned you?"

"No one, sir," she said.

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared.

"Go now and leave your life of sin."

Oh that we would have hearts which embrace not only the forgiveness but the brokenness that comes with sin, that we could thank Him for exposing the darkness in us. And that we would extend such mercy to those caught in their own depravity.

Ariel Allison is a published author who lives in a small Texas town with her husband and three young sons. She is the co-author of Daddy Do You Love Me: a Daughter’s Journey of Faith and Restoration (New Leaf Press, 2006). Justin Case, the first of three children’s books will released by Harvest House Publishers in June 2009. She ponders on life as a mother of all boys at www.themoabclub.blogspot.com and on her thoughts as a redeemed dreamer at www.arielallison.blogspot.com. She and her husband are expecting their fourth son in December.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. – 2 Peter 1:10-11

It was powerful!

Bagpipes played as the horse drawn caisson rolled past an army of gray-clad Troopers. Upon its carriage deck lay a flag covered casket that held the body of an old friend of mine. A true warrior. A brother in Christ—Trooper 352: Andrew James Stocks, N.C. Highway Patrol.

We called him A.J.

The Caisson moved quietly to the clicking hooves of six magnificent black creatures, well groomed horses in regal parade dress, one without rider to signify loss. The horses stopped. Six Troopers stepped forward and removed the casket. They marched quietly into the building and set it in a place of prominence in the front of the church. And the service was awe inspiring, a beautiful memorial to the life of a true first responder—A.J.: U.S. Marine-Crash Firefighter, N.C. Paramedic, N.C. Paramedic Instructor, U.S. Army Ordinance Soldier, and lastly, N.C. State Trooper. Yes, A.J. dedicated his entire career to the service of others. He lived so that others might live and, in the end, gave his life selflessly in the line of duty. He was and still is a true hero.

I felt myself jump at the offering of the twenty-one gun salute. Tears filled my eyes as I heard the bagpipes play and the peaceful closing hymns. But I felt my life change at the offering of the radio report that ended the service. A strong male voice came over the air. I felt confused. It surprised me.

“Raleigh, Troop C—”

Silence fell over the room. At first I thought it was a mistake, someone’s radio, a Trooper’s handheld crackling to life. But then it came again, crisp and clear, a strong voice from somewhere overhead.

“Troop C—”

Dead silence this time. It wasn’t a radio; it was a real dispatch going over the air for N.C. Troopers everywhere to hear.

A.J.’s work on earth was complete, and with that God moved him to his new home in heaven. I know he’s there because we talked about it. I asked him one day, “A.J., how can you know for sure?” And he answered, “Because Jesus Christ died for my sins.”

So now A.J. has a new home, and oh, what a mansion! Can you imagine it? Built by God’s own hands? It must be marvelous. And Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And I will come back and take you to be with me.” He did too. Jesus came and got A.J. that day.

It was his last day on earth, his first day in heaven.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

I believe A.J. would have been proud of his funeral. I know I was. But you know, something occurred to me as my wife and I walked away from the church. The N.C. Highway Patrol, A.J.’s family, the United States Army, and what, I’m sure, amounted to dozens of unnamed friends and volunteers who worked tirelessly to produce that service, had but three short days to do it. Three days! And look what they accomplished. It was the most touching, the most powerful service I have ever witnessed.

So just think: Our God—the maker of all creation—has had an eternity to create our next home. Eternity! What will it be like? We can only imagine. But guess what, A.J. already knows. So wait for us there, A.J., we’ll be home soon enough. In the meantime, rest in peace, Trooper.

And welcome home!

Pat Patterson is a novelist, a paramedic, and an instructor of Emergency Medical Science. His stores are true, based on real experiences from the streets of Durham, North Carolina where he has served as a paramedic since 1992.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

“Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.”Deuteronomy 32:2

It came last night while I was making dinner. The clouds settled low over this desert town as they bubbled with moisture. I threw open my kitchen windows and breathed in that unforgettable scent. The smell of rain. It is a life-giving fragrance, clean and laden with the promise of refreshing. It comes to us in the moments before and after an autumn shower, a lingering reminder that God can wash away anything unclean, even the dusty residue of a long summer.

Twenty four hours later, my windows are still open, the sky is still gray, and that precious rain still soaks into a lawn that not two days ago was charred from relentless heat. Northern Texas does not see rain often, and when those heavy drops descend upon our dry soil, it is received gladly. I am not yet weary of this gift of rain. Just as I am not weary of the gift God gives us in His Word. Deuteronomy 32:2 says:

“Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.”

Sometimes my heart is like this desert where I live. Parched. In need of refreshing. This new life in me yearns for moisture to soften the hard soil around my tender roots and the new growth that pushes upward. I need the rain. I need God’s word to nourish me like showers on new grass and abundant rain on tender plants. I’ve seen what happens when a tender shoot, fresh from the soil, shrivels for lack of water.

May we absorb the word of Word of God this day like a thirsty plant that waits for rain. May our hearts swell with refreshing as we immerse ourselves in the truth we find on the pages of scripture.

Ariel Allison is a published author who lives in a small Texas town with her husband and three young sons. She is the co-author of Daddy Do You Love Me: a Daughter’s Journey of Faith and Restoration (New Leaf Press, 2006). Justin Case, the first of three children’s books will released by Harvest House Publishers in June 2009. She ponders on life as a mother of all boys at www.themoabclub.blogspot.com and on her thoughts as a redeemed dreamer at www.arielallison.blogspot.com. She and her husband are expecting their fourth son in December

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’”- Mark 2:1-5

The woman in the black bikini looked up from her book and turned to the other mom. For the past few minutes I’d caught snippets of their conversation, male bashing, mostly, as the women complained of how their husbands just didn’t get it — how they loved to play with the kids but wouldn’t lift a tissue to wipe a snotty nose. How their husbands could breakdown and clean a twelve-gauge in the dark but couldn’t replace the bag in the vacuum cleaner if their life depended on it.

“When is it going to be my turn?” black bikini asked. “When is he going to realize that I’m holding this family together while he’s out playing soldier?”

Her husband was fifty, a Marine and shipping out for Iraq. He’d been home less than three months.

“The people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door.”

Marriage is hard. It’s especially hard on the families of first responders. Home comings are great but you can’t have a Welcome Back party without going away tears and too often a broken marriage is the casualty of a life-and-death job.

Soldiers, police, firefighters, paramedics — each day these men and women put their lives on the line in order that we may live. “Greater love has no one than he that lay down one's life for another.”

A car door slammed and black bikini walked toward the parking lot to see her husband off. As she did I thought of the four men who risked ridicule and rebuke to bring their paralyzed friend to the feet of Jesus.

“They made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on."

The easy choice would have been to stay outside, listen to the Rabbi’s teaching and allow their friend to remain imprisoned in the shell of his body but saving a life is never easy work and whenever we carry friend, relative or stranger to the arms of Christ we join the ranks of those First Responders.

To risk your life — to stand in harms way or carry a stranger to safety deserves more than a yellow ribbon sticker on the back of car. It deserves our undying gratitude.

Monday, September 8, 2008

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”James 4:7

Our dog Cleo believed any delivery truck or truck driver an evil adversary. If you own a dog, this may not be so peculiar to you unless you knew Cleo.

Cleo was a well-trained, suburban beagle. Her rabbit-chasing-lifestyle was subdued to live with us subdivision types. However, Cleo loved us, licked us, and occasionally chased rabbits. But, most of the time she just slept. I used to tell my husband, “She thinks she’s a cat. Look at her all curled up there.”

If the doorbell rang, she’d dutifully run to the door and bark. She’d wait for the visitor to pet her, then go back to napping. Everyone thought she was friendly and harmless.

She is friendly and harmless until she gets a whiff of diesel. Saliva dripping and teeth gnashing, the docile dog furiously tears into the tires and the ankles of the driver.

I always followed, yelling, “Stop Cleo.” But the driver was in dangerous territory in our driveway. There was little I could do to control her determination to eat the driver. I am sure, Cleo believed it was Satan himself.

It would be a pleasure to see the devil flee the premises just as Cleo chased away the brown trucks. Guess what? We are capable. God has the victory over Satan and we are the recipients of the package: the power of His blood to protect us. All we have to do is pray. God, please come, please protect me. Or, the prayer can be straight from the Bible--“he will flee from you.”

The delivery truck driver didn’t avoid my house just because of a biting dog and Satan isn’t going to avoid you just because of God’s victory. Satan is mad and is not going to quit. However, God is the winner and He’s certainly not going to quit. Call on Him—He can smell Satan a mile away.

What package is the devil delivering to you --- self-doubt, perfectionism, criticism, greed, anger, apathy?

Do not be deceived--Satan is the biting dog.

Terri Kelly is blessed with a daughter and son and calls North Carolina home, with her husband, Allan.Allan and Terri work in their extra time on their business, www.davincisplayground.org, which is currently undergoing a transformation.

TerriKelly holds a master's degree in elementary education and taught for 'umpteen' years prior to her current "stay-at-home mother" job.Writing pursuits include educational grants, children's curriculum, teacher's tips, and a children's book manuscript. Terri prays for words to write, words to teach, and words to keep silent.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Mountain Breeze Ministries and ChristianDevotions.US is pleased to introduce author and teacher, Ron Benrey and his book that will help you write Christian Fiction. Check out his newest video. We recommend this book for any writer interested in learning the craft of writing fiction and integrating Christian ideas into your work.

Go away, Lord! -- He Said

“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.” - Luke 5: 8-10

- Listen to Go away, Lord! - by Eddie Jones

“Go away, I hate you!”

Even as the lanky man tried to console the boy his son ran off crying, “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!”

It’s hard to cut your own son from the team, especially when he’s tried and done his best. But ball clubs are built to excel and win games, not make players feel good. At least, they were when I was growing up.

To be rejected by God, though, to be told you’re not good enough for His team… that is the deepest cut of all. Lately, I’ve felt as ifI were standing on the other side of the fence looking on God’s field of dreams, waiting for Him to wave me over, but hearing only the crack of the bat. I suspect I’m not alone.

That’s why I’m bothered by the story of Peter and the miraculous catch. The incident may lead you to conclude that success is guaranteed when Christ calls but that hasn’t been my experience. I understand that Jesus can do anything, that He’s all powerful. But what happens when He doesn’t bless the catch? What happens when he commands us to put out from shore, let down our nets and we catch a bad case of sunburn instead of fish?

What happens when we put our hope in Him and He says “no” to our prayers?

A few months ago a friend contacted me to say; “I've stopped working on our book project. Today my youngest daughter was killed in a car crash. That morning my pastor and I prayed for her safe travel. I have to say I'm not in the mood to write to or about God right now. Eddie, I'm sure you understand.”

I did and I do. “Go away from me, Lord!” said Peter. There are days when, as a sinful man, I want to scream at God; “Just go away, okay? Leave me alone!”

In a broken world, sin opens the door and pain rushes in. Today someone will learn that the cancer is back, their job is gone or that their spouse has left. Somewhere a prayer for provision and protection will be answered with a resounding “no.”

But the love of Christ is not measured in “yes” prayers; it is shown in how much He loves us during our pain. If God has said “no” to your prayer, if you find yourself in a time of testing, then ask him to join you in the midst of your problems. He always says “yes” to that prayer.

Christian Devotions

Abundance in Obedience -- She Said

- Listen to Abundance in Obedience -- by Cindy Sproles

"For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners."– Luke 5:9-10

Monkey Bread. Have you ever had Monkey Bread? I hadn't, and honestly, it wasn't something that sounded especially appetizing. I've had friends offer me a "start" numerous times and politely declined. After all, what kind of bread requires "being fed?" There's something innately wrong with that.

My face must have spoken volumes when my friend offered me the start and the instructions. She said, "Trust me, you'll love it. The result is abundant." She grinned a mischievous grin.

The batter came in a one - gallon zip-lock baggie. It was to live in my refrigerator for a week — me adding flour every other day and "punching" down the batter on the off days. Something should have clued me when words like "punching," "feeding," and "start" came into play.

On day three, I opened the refrigerator and nearly fell over. The batter had inflated and was hissing to be free of the confines of the zip-lock bag. Abundance was an understatement. It had tripled in size. If one cup of flour tripled the batter, what would happen if I kept feeding it? We'd not be able to close the refrigerator door.

The day Jesus called Peter to follow Him, He'd given him a command. "Take me out from the shore so I can teach." Peter obeyed. Next Jesus sent him into deep water to cast his nets and fish. Even though Peter was tired from a day of fruitless fishing, he still obeyed Jesus — the reward was more fish than he could handle. More fish than his buddies could handle as well. Abundance!

When we are a servant — when we obey, God rewards us with abundance. His rewards will be more than we can heap into our boats. He loves caring for His children.

My Monkey bread dough tripled, then quadrupled, and then…well, you get the idea. One "start" yielded ten gallon-bags of batter. And that was what I could retrieve before it began literally running all over my refrigerator. There was so much, I couldn't give it away.

God does the same for me in my Christian life. When I give, when I obey—He blesses me to the point that I don't know what to do.

Has Jesus called you to obey? Did you ignore Him or did you obey and receive His blessings?

There is abundance in the Lord. Don't pass on the opportunity to receive the joys He offers.

Serve Him with an open heart and your Monkey bread will grow,and grow, and grow.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us."—Romans 12:4

I have a difficult job—jump when others call, wallow in their blood, manage life-threatening emergencies and occasionally save a life—and I’m proud of it. But my pride has its limits. I depend on others more than I’d like to admit. I could never do this job by myself. No way! ***“Pat,” Captain David Young shouted as I climbed from the ambulance. “You need to intubate him, dude. He’s crashing fast!”

I grabbed my trauma bag and started toward the scene. It looked bad, a Ford pickup wrapped around a tree, its front end crumpled in upon itself like aluminum foil.

“Bring your suction unit too,” Young yelled. “He’s full of blood!”

I ran back, grabbed the necessary equipment, and trotted over.

“Whatcha got?”

“It ain’t good,” Young said. “He was leaning against the tailgate when the truck hit the tree. Flew into the back of the cab headfirst.” Young pulled away a blood-soaked trauma dressing. Blood poured from a gash in the center of the victim’s head. He quickly recovered the wound and applied direct pressure. “Like I said, not good.”

I climbed aboard the truck and gazed at the victim. His eyes looked lifeless. He breathed in short gurgling gasps.

“What’s his name,” I murmured.

“Jose Gonzales,” someone answered, “Why?”

“Never mind. Someone open his mouth.”Young grabbed the victim’s head and forced open his jaw. I inserted a hard plastic catheter.

“Okay,” I said. “Turn it on.”

My partner hit the switch. A long line of bright red blood coursed up the tube. The catheter sucked and hissed, but I was unable to keep up with the steady stream of blood flowing into the mouth. I felt myself begin to panic.

“We’re losing him. Help me!”

“What can I do?”

I handed Young the catheter.

“You suction…I’ll intubate.”

And so, we did the job. My partner, the firefighters, all of us, we worked as a team. We suctioned. We intubated. We dressed the bleeding head wound and immobilized our patient. We did everything within our collective power to achieve the impossible, but I could tell by his injuries, I knew in my heart, Jose Gonzales was already gone.

***I transported a young woman a few years later. She spoke of a bad wreck—pickup truck versus tree. She’d been the driver, her cousin, Jose, the victim. "He almost died,” she explained. “The impact threw him forward. He hit his head on the cab. He lives on Holloway Street now. He’s—”

***It wasn’t just the paramedics who saved Jose Gonzales, it was the entire team. My hat goes off to the men on Engine-5, and to all of the other firefighters who work so tirelessly to make my job easier. They make a difference. They save lives. And sometimes, when we work together, we can even accomplish the impossible.

Thank you, guys. I couldn’t do it without you!

Pat Patterson is a novelist, a paramedic, and an instructor of Emergency Medical Science. His stories are true, based on real experiences from the streets of Durham, North Carolina where he has served as a paramedic since 1992.

Monday, September 1, 2008

"And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it and is unreceptive to it]."(John 1:5, Amplified)

One day as I was driving home from work I looked up and saw the late afternoon sun breaking through some dark clouds. The juxtaposition of dark and light clouds and blue sky always fascinates me. The dark clouds try to take over...as if they could. They do cast a pall over the landscape, and would seem to block out the sun, but it is always only temporary, the light always breaks through.

Where the light breaks through the most amazing transformation takes place! The previously dark sky is punctured by clouds brilliantly lit from within. The dark clouds are compelled to part, making way for the illumined clouds. Sometimes only the edge of a cloud is lit, sometimes a single cloud, and scattered throughout are patches of sun-brightened clouds. Eventually the darkness must dissipate in the growing light. Wherever the light has pierced the darkness, the sky is the clearest blue you could ever hope to see. I never tire of the triumph of light over darkness! It brightens my countenance, fills my wondering heart with thanksgiving, and stirs my spirit to worship the true Master of light.

This triumph of light over darkness in nature is a beautiful picture of a spiritual reality. The light of God pierced my sin-darkened heart at salvation, chasing away the clouds of unbelief, fear, and rejection that had cast a pall over the landscape of my life. When I allow God's love-light to shine through me, that same light spreads out, touches others, fills them, and spills out until more and more are beautifully transformed. This growing light, like the pink-tinged promise of a new day, carries with it all the possibilities of heaven. Storms happen, in life as in nature, but just as the sun always breaks through to chase away the dark clouds, so God's light always breaks through to chase away the clouds that would darken my spirit. It may not always occur as quickly as I would like, but it is a certainty, just as day always follows night.

Let the light of God fill you, chase away the storm clouds in your life, and bring you into the dawn of a new day.

Kathie Krakowski is a resident of Bear, Delaware. She is blessed to be the wife of a wonderful man, as well as a mom and a new grandmom (although she prefers to be called "Kiki"). She has been a pre-kindergarten teacher at a private Christian school in Newark, DE for the past 20 years and loves reading to children and teaching them how much Jesus loves them. She is a passionate worshiper of Jesus, the Lover of her soul, and enjoys expressing her devotion to Him through poetry. She also enjoys writing for children; including songs, tongue-twisters, and a series of alphabet stories that she hopes to have published.